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ITV’s Victoria is a rather tame affair compared to, say, the incestuous, violent Game Of Thrones, but last night’s episode got a little more risqué than usual when viewers were treated with a bare bum.

The rump in question belonged to the Queen’s footman Joseph Weld, played by David Burnett, and was flashed when he ran starkers into the sea.

But, according to the show’s creators, this was no titillating attempt at gaining viewers. Rather it was wholly historically accurate as apparently men didn’t wear any form of swimming costume in the 19th century.

Hope the water wasn’t too cold (Photo: ITV)

‘The artistic justification is that Joseph is trussed up in this ridiculous livery and awful wig all day and it’s his moment of freedom – to remind us that he’s a man underneath all the lead and the goose paint,’ writer Daisy Goodwin told The Telegraph.

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‘I have to say it’s historically correct for him to be swimming naked. Men in the 19th century didn’t have bathing suits … No budgie smugglers in the Victorian era,’ she added.

Fans of Victoria won’t be faced with any more nudity in the rest of the series, assured Goodwin, especially not on a beach: ‘Everyone’s like, “Please don’t write any more swimming scenes Daisy, it always rains when we do them”.’

Queen Victoria’s swimming outfit was a bit more demure than her footman’s (Photo: ITV)

The writer talked about the lack of sex scenes in Victoria, despite previously claiming that it’s the ‘sexiest’ show she’s ever worked on. ‘Not that I disapprove, it’s just not what I want to watch,’ she explained, ‘There has got to be some point to drama. If you want porn, you can get it [elsewhere]’.

Goodwin has previously spoke about the amount of unnecessary sex shown on TV. In an article she wrote for The Daily Mail in 2016, the writer – whose previous credits include The Sex Inspectors on Channel 4 – said that sex scenes often ‘interrupt the action’ and dubbed TV that relies on sex as ‘careless’.

Whether you agree with her or not, it’s safe to say that last night’s bit of bum will be the last we’ll ever see on ITV’s Victoria – even if it is historically accurate.

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